Change Of Heart
by sailor silvimoon
Summary: "I found this in the dead guy's pocket. Thought it might do more use here than, say, 3 miles below sea level." "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" "Get the girl." "Well, there's one little problem with that. You see, I had a change of heart and fell in love with someone else." Written for the FORTNIGHTLY THEME WORD CHALLENGE. WARNING: LIGHT SLASH AND SPOILERS (DALARIC)


FORTNIGHTLY THEME WORD CHALLENGE (18.05.13. – 01.06.13.)

Title: **CHANGE OF HEART  
**Pairing: Damon, Alaric  
Genre: Romance  
Rating: T  
Theme Word: FIXATION  
Chapters: 1/1  
Status: Complete  
Year: 2013  
Size: 25 KB  
Summary: "I found this in the dead guy's pocket. Thought it might do more use here than, say, 3 miles below sea level." "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" "Get the girl." "Well, there's one little problem with that. You see, I had a change of heart and fell in love with someone else." Written for the FORTNIGHTLY THEME WORD CHALLENGE. WARNING: LIGHT SLASH AND SPOILERS

**AN/** Ok, let me first tell you one thing. I still haven't seen last few episodes of TVD. I've only read comments and spoilers, and watched videos on YouTube. And that is how this idea came into my mind. I saw this beautiful scene (4x22) where Damon hugs Alaric, realizing it is really him. Believe me, my heart swelled with love on that scene. The look on Damon's face, pure happiness…

This story is the result of that video. It is also a slight different from the show and has few twists. Either way, hope you'll like it! Enjoy!

Written for the FORTNIGHTLY THEME WORD CHALLENGE (used to be weekly theme word challenge)

**WARNING 1**: LIGHT SLASH (the pairing IS Damon and Alaric, and the genre IS Romance, but there aren't any explicit scenes, just few kisses.)

**WARNING 2**: For those who haven't watched 4x22 - SPOILERS

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Vampire Diaries, but I do wish Damon and Alaric are here with me…

* * *

***D&A***

Damon was sitting on the floor in a school hallway, groaning in pain, after Elena stabbed him with a stake in the stomach. He hated what she became. She was lying, manipulative bitch, and her only goal, now, was find and kill Katherine. To him, she was worst than her older doppelganger. If he'd knew she would turn into this, he would never tell her to turn her emotions off. What he loved about Elena the most, was her gentleness, compassion and selflessness. True, he wasn't in love with her anymore, his heart belonged to someone else, and he didn't realized that until it was too late.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming his way. He knew it wasn't Stefan or Caroline, they were on their way to the other part of the school, and definitively wasn't Elena. Those were men's steps.

Trying to put the stake out, he fumbled with it, but it was no use. The stake wouldn't budge. Then he noticed a pair of men's shoes in front of him, and he lifted his head, preparing for the worse. His eyes widened and his breath caught seeing who it was.

"Need a hand?" Alaric asked, raising a brow in a mocking way.

Seeing the vampire was too shocked to answer, he leaned down, and pulled the stake out, which caused Damon groaning in pain. Even after doing that, Damon was still eyeing him suspiciously, and Alaric fond that amusing. Part of him loved that about Damon. He was always questioning other's motive, and he never trusted anyone. But, the other part of him just wished he would let his guard down, and let himself believe that good things could happen even to him.

"So, this is either really good or _reeeeally_ bad." Damon finally found his voice and looked at his, used to be, dead friend.

Alaric could see doubt in Damon's eyes, and he smiled. He knew how much the vampire missed him. Hell, he was alongside him from the moment he died, watching over the vampire he called his best friend. He was there when Damon lowered his walls on his grave, he was there when the sire bond was discovered, and he could see how much that hurt Damon. He was there when they were looking for the cure. He was there in the best and the worst moments of Damon's life, beside him in every step of the way. He was there when the vampire broke down in tears, in the loneliness of his room. It broke his heart watching him so broken and alone.

"It's good to see you too, Damon." He finally answered.

"I'd say the feeling is mutual, except a lot of people aren't exactly who they say they are around here." Damon said looking down, then finally, locking his eyes with Alaric's.

It was hard for Damon looking at the man kneeling in front of him. He was certain that this was just another game of Silas, just to torture him.

"You think I'm Silas? Are you kidding me?" Alaric asked in disbelief, giving him the hand and pulling him on his feet.

Damon groaned in pain. The healing was a slow process, and it still hurt where Elena stabbed him.

"See, now that puts us in a bit of a pickle, because _that_ is exactly what Silas would say."

Alaric didn't say anything to that, but then he noticed where they were exactly. With a twinkle in his eyes, he walked toward the lockers nearby, and banging his hand on one, it opened. He smirked. It was still there. He pulled out one bottle of their favorite drink, turned to the stunned vampire, and grinned.

"Now, would Silas know about locker 42?"

Alaric watched as the realization, slowly, but eventually, dawned on Damon, and his grin widened.

'_It was him! It was really him!'_ Damon thought. After the first shock, he felt his heart would burst from happiness. His best friend, his only friend was standing in front of him after so long. He never thought this day would come. But, apparently, the witch was strong enough to drop the veil. Nothing else mattered but that feeling of happiness and love that warmed his cold heart. _'And he could finally tell him…No!'_ He brushed that thought away, and smiling brightly, rushed into Alaric's open arms.

Reluctantly, few long moments later, he pulled back from the hug. Instantly, he felt loss, but now was not the time for that.

"Ah, hold on. If I can see you –" Damon said, touching Alaric's body, and playfully slapping him "– and I can touch you, that means that the little witch did it. She dropped the veil?"

"Well, not completely. It's only down inside the Expression Triangle. If I step outside of it, it's back to ghost world." Alaric explained.

Damon thought about that information for a bit, then asked. "Well, where is everybody? I figured, with the veil down, it'd be like Ghost-a-palooza!"

Alaric smirked at that. "Well, not every ghost has a reason to come back to Mystic Falls. Just the ones like me, looking after their idiot best friend."

'_Only a best friend.'_ Damon thought gloomily, and it hurt. But, he quickly replaced his hurtful look with a thoughtful one. However, Alaric saw the flick of pain in Damon's eyes.

"I'm more worried about the ones looking for their enemies." Damon said, reverting his eyes from Alaric.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy I'm here? Is something I said?" Alaric asked, confused, noticing, even more, sensing, Damon's walls were up again.

"I _am_ happy you're here. And nothing is wrong."

"You _were_ happy. For two minutes. Then something happened. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know. And it's nothing. You are here, that's more important. Now come, we have to go to the boiler room."

"Damon, we both know you're lying." Alaric said, then when the vampire refused to talk, sighed. "Fine. Let's go. But, this conversation is not over."

***D&A***

Side by side, without word, they walked through the empty school hallways toward the boiler room. Damon, who was deep in his thoughts, didn't noticed Alaric's worried glances toward him.

Damon felt torn and full of emotions. And he didn't do well with emotions. He was genuinely happy Alaric was back, even if he wont be here forever. Just until the veil is down, and he doubted it would last. Bonnie wasn't _that_ strong. So, he suspected he had time until morning. At least he hoped. He was hurt Alaric thought of him only as a friend. True, he never indicated he felt different, but even he didn't know when exactly those friendship feelings turned to something else. Not until it was too late. Not until he was taking care of _'Evil Alaric.'_ And that wasn't the time to say anything. And then, he died in his arms. And he lost every chance. However, no matter how he felt, killing Silas and saving Elena's life was still number one priority, so he focused his thoughts on that. It wasn't the first time his love wasn't returned. That was the story of his life. He always loved someone who didn't loved him back. After 170 years, he should have been used to that. Alaric will return to the Other Side, and he will stay here, nursing his broken heart. He will heal. Eventually.

Alaric glanced toward the vampire beside him from time to time, confused why was Damon acting this way. True, he was suspicious at first of his true identity, but after he proved it was really him and not Silas, by finding the bottle of Bourbon in their secret locker stash, Damon looked happy to see him and lowered his guard down. Then, all of the sudden, the walls were up again. Someone who didn't know Damon would never noticed, but he knew the vampire very well. He repeated, in his mind, their whole conversation. Then it hit him! He was certain he saw the flick of pain in the vampire's eyes after he said he was looking after his idiot best friend. _'Could it be? Could Damon feel something more than a friendship for him? But how? When?' _God, he was so confused. But he knew Damon would never admit it, if that was the case. Not after he said the _friend_ word. And neither there was the time for him to force the truth from the vampire. Soon, he will return to the Other Side, watching over him. He wished he could stay here forever.

***D&A***

Few minutes later, they were in the boiler room, but neither Stefan nor Caroline was there. Then Damon's phone rang. It was Matt. Damon put him on the speaker so both Alaric and he could hear what was going on. Apparently, Rebekah found the real Caroline in the Grill's back room cutting herself in trance, which meant that the Caroline who was with Stefan, was actually Silas. And Kol was out there, somewhere, looking for Elena. After hanging up, Damon pulled out his extra phone and gave it to Alaric.

"Call Stefan and tell him about Caroline. Tell him to keep an eye on Elena. God knows he'll do a better job than me."

"Stefan? Isn't she your girlfriend?" Alaric asked. _'Maybe now he will know the answer to the questions that twirled through his mind. Maybe now he will know what Damon feels for him. Friendship or something more.'_

"Who knows." Damon shrugged. "I know she was sired to me. I know her emotions were off. I know she is so full of rage, she wants to rip Katherine's head off."

"But you have no idea how she feels about you, and now you're freaking out." Alaric stated.

Damon looked at Alaric like he was about to say something, but the he sighed, obviously changing his mind.

"Call Stefan." Damon said, and giving Alaric last glance, walked away, leaving Alaric more confused then before.

***D&A***

An hour or two later, Alaric and Damon found themselves at the cemetery, packing the trunk of the car with Silas's body.

"Calcified Silas is one heavy son-of-a-bitch!" Damon said and pulled out a flask, taking a swig.

"I can't think of a more appropriate way to spend my last moment as a semi-living person." Alaric said, looking at the vampire.

Their time together was running out and they both knew it.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you have some place better to be?" Damon asked sarcastically.

Alaric forced a laugh. "Guess not." Taking the flask from Damon, he took a swig as well, noticing Damon was watching him. He seemed fixated on something on him, and it gave him a warm feeling.

"I thought you were cutting back." Damon commented, remembering their time in the tomb, when Alaric was dying, deciding not to complete the transition.

"Yeah, well, I thought you were gonna take care of the children." Alaric smirked, giving the vampire the knowledge he was there every time Damon visited his grave.

Damon chocked, and for a moment, looked startled. "You heard that? Well, that's not creepy."

Instead of continuing their friendly banter, Alaric pulled out a small box. "I found this in the dead guy's pocket. Thought it might do more use here than, say, 3 miles below see level."

Damon took the cure out of the box, and asked, holding it up. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

Once again, Alaric forced a smile on his face. "Get the girl."

It was hard saying that, but Damon deserved to be happy. He will soon be gone and all he will be able to do was watching over the vampire. He was obviously wrong, thinking Damon felt something for him anyway.

Damon looked at the man standing in front of him. Now was the last moment of opportunity to say what was in his heart. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"Well, there's one little problem with that. You see, I had a change of heart and fell in love with someone else."

Damon watched Alaric's eyes go wide from shock. He loved those eyes. From the moment they met, an even more, when they became friends, he felt the need to look at them, and now he knew why. And not only the eyes, the lips too. Especially now. He longed to press his lips on Alaric's, to feel them, to savor them.

Before Alaric could say a word, Damon did just that. In a flash, he closed the distance between them, and pressed his lips on Alaric's. already prepared for rejection, he felt shock through his whole body, because, instead of pushing him away, Alaric wrapped his arms around Damon, puling him closer, returning the kiss. It was much more he dreamed it would be. Their lips fitted perfectly, their tongues twirled around each other. Since Alaric was a vampire too, they didn't feel the need to separate for air. But, eventually, Damon pulled back, however, still in Alaric's arms. He needed the touch.

"I don't know how or when it happened, but I fell in love with you. I realized it when I took care of you in your _'Evil Alaric'_ phase, but at that time I was confused and couldn't tell you. Everything happened so fast, and the, there was no time left. You died. But, my love stayed alive. I tried to forget you, I even slept with Elena, but it was no use. I don't love her the way I love you."

"Damon, I…" Alaric wanted to say something, but Damon interrupted him.

"No. don't say anything. You'll be gone soon enough, and I don't think I could bear to hear you don't feel the same. To you, I'm only a best friend. But, I love you. More then anything."

"Damon…" Alaric started, but all of the sudden, he disappeared, leaving Damon alone and heartbroken.

"Goodbye my friend…my love." Damon whispered to the dark night, and broke down in tears.

It was too soon. He needed few more moments with Alaric. And now, he was all alone. His heart was breaking, and he was certain he never felt that much pain in his whole life.

***D&A***

It was already bright day when Damon entered the Boarding House. It was empty. Stefan was probably with his friends, graduating for the 17th time. He didn't want to be here anymore. Not I this hose, not in this town. He entered his room and started packing. It was time for him to leave.

Taking the last glance toward the Boarding House, he walked toward his car, with two bags in his hand, when he heard a familiar voice that made his heart flutter.

"You're leaving?"

Turning back, he saw Alaric's smiling face. His eyes went wide.

"What?...How?...I thought….."Damon was speechless for the first time in his life. He didn't even noticed he dropped the bags.

"I couldn't cross over. The pull was too strong. You see, I love you too!"

"You love me?" Damon whispered in shock.

"Yes. For quite some time now. I thought you didn't feel the same, so I didn't say anything. I was perfectly fine just being your friend."

"So, what does this means? You'll be here for how long?" Damon asked, not daring to hope.

"For as long you want me." Alaric answered, smiling.

"Forever." Damon said firmly, and smiled back.

I was hoping you would say that. Alaric grinned, then asked. So, where are we heading?

"The world is a big place. Where ever we want."

Who moved first it was a mystery, but in the next moment, their lips locked, and the world around them stopped existing. And that is how Stefan, Elena, Caroline and Bonnie found them. After the first shock and a looooong explanation, they said their goodbye's and head for the road, leaving Mystic Falls behind.

* * *

**AN/** Well, that is all. Parts of the dialogue are from the show. I used the transcript of the episode. Damon, having two phones made more sense than Alaric already having one, since he came from the Other Side. Hope you don't mind.

I'm writing few more stories and one of them will be out soon. Do you have any ideas how to bring Alaric back? I'm kinda stuck with that. I was thinking Bonnie and Elijah joined forces to do that.

Anyway, hope you liked this story so please leave a thought or two!


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